Boston Symphony chief Mark Volpe has announced James Levine’s resignation, effective September. Since he has cancelled the rest of the season, that means effective immediately.

The announcement, a face-saving device, was chanelled by his agent through the supine medium of the New York Times, rather than a more critical and combative Boston press. Here’s Boston’s later version of the story, without access to Levine.
After two years of prevarication, no-one emerges from the episode with much credit.

Levine said: “This has been brewing in my mind for a long time,” he said in a telephone interview. “Each time that I had to cancel because of illness or each time that I arrived and wasn’t my best, I kept thinking we can’t keep this up. This isn’t right for the orchestra or the audience or me.”

Volpe added that the situation was ‘not tenable’.

After two years of prevarication, no-one emerges from the episode with much credit. Levine was indulged by the Boston management while his Machiavellian agent, Ronald Wilford, put together ever more fantastical reasons for his retention. He should have quit two seasons ago when the workload became too arduous, But Levine, who had never had an orchestra to call his own, was determined to go out on a high. Sadly, that ambition was thwarted,

Boston Symphony chief Mark Volpe has announced James Levine’s resignation, effective September. Since he has cancelled the rest of the season, that means effective immediately.

The announcement, a face-saving device, was chanelled by his agent through the supine medium of the New York Times, rather than a more critical and combative Boston press. Here’s Boston’s later version of the story, without access to Levine.
After two years of prevarication, no-one emerges from the episode with much credit.

Levine said: “This has been brewing in my mind for a long time,” he said in a telephone interview. “Each time that I had to cancel because of illness or each time that I arrived and wasn’t my best, I kept thinking we can’t keep this up. This isn’t right for the orchestra or the audience or me.”

Volpe added that the situation was ‘not tenable’.

After two years of prevarication, no-one emerges from the episode with much credit. Levine was indulged by the Boston management while his Machiavellian agent, Ronald Wilford, put together ever more fantastical reasons for his retention. He should have quit two seasons ago when the workload became too arduous, But Levine, who had never had an orchestra to call his own, was determined to go out on a high. Sadly, that ambition was thwarted,

Three conductors have agreed to stand in for James Levine when the Boston Symphony plays Carnegie Hall the week after next.

They are: the Brazilian Marcelo Lehninger, the Italian Roberto Abbado and the Latvian Andris Nelsons. In addition, violinist Joshua Bell steps in for pianist Maurizio Pollini, who has withdrawn with flu.
Of the three batons. Nelsons is the biggest catch. He’s Europe’s most in-demand substitute and a huge success with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.
The patchwork solution only underlines Boston’s big problem. They have to fire Levine, who has cancelled the rest of his season, but they don’t know how. His manager, Ronald Wilford, assures the NY Times that Big Jim will be back. Does anyone but Wilford and the Times believe that is Boston’s best option?
Press release follows:

Date: March 2, 2011 | Contact: Corinne Zadik | Tel: 212-903-9665 | E-mail: czadik@carnegiehall.org

CONDUCTORS MARCELO LEHNINGER, ROBERTO ABBADO, & ANDRIS NELSONS
REPLACE JAMES LEVINE FOR BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA CONCERTS
AT CARNEGIE HALL THIS MARCH

Violinist Joshua Bell Replaces Pianist Maurizio Pollini as Soloist for March 16 Program,
Roberto Abbado Conducts Works by Haydn, Bruch, and Beethoven

Marcelo Lehninger Leads Music by Mozart, Bartók, and Birtwistle,
Collaborating with Violinist Christian Tetzlaff on March 15

Andris Nelsons Conducts Mahler’s Ninth Symphony on March 17

(NEW YORK, NY)–Carnegie Hall today announced that conductors Marcelo Lehninger, Roberto Abbado, and Andris Nelsons will graciously step in for conductor James Levine, leading performances with the Boston Symphony Orchestra on March 15, 16, and 17 in Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage. As previously announced, Mr. Levine must regrettably withdraw from these performances as he is experiencing ill effects from a recent procedure addressing ongoing back issues, further complicated by a viral infection. In addition, violinist Joshua Bell will appear as soloist for the BSO’s March 16 program, performing Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1. Mr. Bell kindly replaces pianist Maurizio Pollini, who unfortunately must cancel his appearance due to the flu.

Program Information for BSO Performances at Carnegie Hall, March 15-17:

BSO Assistant Conductor Marcelo Lehninger will lead the orchestra on Tuesday, March 15 at
8:00 p.m. As previously announced, violinist Christian Tetzlaff will be featured as soloist on all three of the program’s works, including the New York premiere of Harrison Birtwistle’s Violin Concerto. The program also includes Mozart’s Rondo for Violin and Orchestra in C Major, K. 373 and Bartók’s Violin Concerto No. 2.

Conductor Roberto Abbado will conduct a newly-announced program to include Haydn’s Symphony No. 93, Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 on Wednesday, March 16 at 8:00 p.m. Violinist Joshua Bell is soloist for this performance, replacing pianist Maurizio Pollini.

Conductor Andris Nelsons steps in for Maestro Levine on Thursday, March 17 at 8:00 p.m., leading the BSO in Mahler’s Symphony No. 9, the previously announced program.

Full program details are listed below. For ticket information, the public may contact CarnegieCharge at 212-247-7800.

About the Artists

Brazilian-born Marcelo Lehninger is increasingly recognized as one of the most gifted conductors of his generation. Appointed an assistant conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra by James Levine, he is the second Brazilian conductor to hold this position; the first was his professor, Eleazar de Carvalho, who shared the position with Leonard Bernstein. Mr. Lehninger made his Boston Symphony debut in October 2010. In January 2011, he made an acclaimed debut on short notice with the New West Orchestra of California. Mr. Lehninger is also currently an associate conductor of the Minas Gerais Philharmonic Orchestra in Brazil and he recently made his debut with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra. He was invited to be music advisor of the Youth Orchestra of the Americas for the 2007-2008 season. In summer 2008, he toured with the YOA and pianist Nelson Freire in South America. In the US, Mr. Lehninger has led the Conductors Institute Orchestra in New York, the Jacksonville Symphony, Fairfax Symphony, and the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C. An alumnus of the National Conducting Institute, he made a highly praised debut with the National Symphony Orchestra in 2007 at the Kennedy Center. Chosen by Kurt Masur, Mr. Lehninger was awarded the First Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Scholarship. He holds a master’s degree from the Conductors Institute at New York’s Bard College, where he studied conducting under Harold Farberman and composition with Laurence Wallach.

Roberto Abbado‘s crisp, dramatic music-making and instinctive lyricism distinguish him as an esteemed conductor among orchestras and opera companies today. Mr. Abbado’s most intensive relationship in North America is currently with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, where he has served as Artistic Partner for the last eight years. He regularly leads the Atlanta and St. Louis symphony

orchestras, and has often appeared with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Houston Symphony and San Francisco Symphony. Abroad, Mr. Abbado has a long-lasting relationship with the Israel Philharmonic, and appears often with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and the top orchestras of his native Italy, including the La Scala Philharmonic and Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI. Well-known in the opera world, he has appeared at Teatro alla Scala, the Paris Opera, and the Metropolitan Opera. This season Mr. Abbado premiered a new production of Mozart’sDon Giovanni by Roland Schwab at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, and in summer 2011 leads a new Graham Vick production of Mosé in Egitto at the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro, Italy. In the U.S., he leads the symphony orchestras of Atlanta and Cincinnati, and continues his collaboration with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. Roberto Abbado studied with renowned conducting teacher Franco Ferrara at Venice’s La Fenice and Rome’s Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. He was honored with the Franco Abbiati Prize by the National Association of Italian Music Critics as Conductor of the Year in 2008.

For more than two decades, violinist Joshua Bell has enchanted audiences worldwide with his breathtaking virtuosity and tone of rare beauty. An Avery Fisher Prize recipient who was named 2010 Instrumentalist of the Year by Musical America, Mr. Bell’s season highlights include performances with the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia, San Francisco, Houston and St. Louis symphony orchestras; concerts with the Concertgebouw Orchestra in The Netherlands and Spain; and a recital tour to Canada, the U.S. and Europe including Wigmore Hall, Lincoln Center, and Symphony Hall in Boston. This season, he collaborates with Steven Isserlis in Europe and Istanbul with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. Joshua Bell came to national attention at age 14 with his orchestral debut with Riccardo Muti and the Philadelphia Orchestra. A Sony Classical artist, his first sonata recording of French repertoire, which also his first duo recording with pianist Jeremy Denk, will be released in 2011. Having made more than 35 recordings, recent releases include the soundtracks to For Colored Girls and Defiance, as well as At Home With Friends, Vivaldi: The Four Seasons, Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto, The Red Violin Concerto, Voice of the Violin, and Romance of the Violin, which Billboardnamed the 2004 Classical CD of the Year, and Mr. Bell the Classical Artist of the Year. Mr. Bell also collaborated with composer John Corigliano on the Oscar-winning soundtrack to The Red Violin. He performs on the 1713 Gibson ex Huberman Stradivarius.

Music Director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra since 2008, Andris Nelsons is one of the most sought-after young conductors on the international scene today, earning a distinguished reputation on both opera and concert podiums. Mr. Nelsons recently appeared for the first time in Japan, on tour with Vienna Philharmonic; he returns to Japan later this season for performances of Wagner’s Lohengrin at Tokyo Opera Nomori. Born in Riga in 1978 into a family of musicians, Mr. Nelsons began his career in music as a trumpeter in the Latvian National Opera Orchestra and has also won many prizes for his singing. He was recipient of the prestigious Latvian Grand Music Award for outstanding achievement in music in 2001 and he studied conducting with Professor Alexander Titov in St. Petersburg. He has studied privately with Mariss Jansons since 2002 and completed his tenure as Principal Conductor of the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie in Herford, Germany, in 2009. From 2003-2007, he was Music Director of the Latvian National Opera. Most recently, Mr. Nelsons conducted the New York Philharmonic at Avery Fisher Hall in February. He returns to The Metropolitan Opera to conduct Tchaikovsky’s Pique Dame this month.

Program Information
Tuesday, March 15 at 8:00 p.m.
Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage
BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Marcelo Lehninger, Conductor
Christian Tetzlaff, Violin

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART Rondo for Violin and Orchestra in C Major, K. 373
HARRISON BIRTWISTLE Violin Concerto (NY Premiere)
BÉLA BARTÓK Violin Concerto No. 2

Perspectives: Christian Tetzlaff

Sponsored by DeWitt Stern Group, Inc.

Tickets: $48-$150
__________________________________

Wednesday, March 16 at 8:00 p.m.
Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage
BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Roberto Abbado, Conductor
Joshua Bell, Violin

JOSEPH HAYDN Symphony No. 93 in D Major
MAX BRUCH Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 26
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67

Sponsored by Deloitte LLP

Tickets: $45-$140
__________________________________

Thursday, March 17 at 8:00 p.m.
Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage
BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Andris Nelsons, Conductor

GUSTAV MAHLER Symphony No. 9

Pre-concert talk starts at 7:00 PM in Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage with Marilyn McCoy, Adjunct Professor of Music, Columbia University.

The Trustees of Carnegie Hall gratefully acknowledge the generosity of Mr. Robert L. Turner in support of the 2010-2011 season.

Tickets: $45-$140

Date: March 2, 2011 | Contact: Corinne Zadik | Tel: 212-903-9665 | E-mail: czadik@carnegiehall.org

CONDUCTORS MARCELO LEHNINGER, ROBERTO ABBADO, & ANDRIS NELSONS
REPLACE JAMES LEVINE FOR BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA CONCERTS
AT CARNEGIE HALL THIS MARCH

Violinist Joshua Bell Replaces Pianist Maurizio Pollini as Soloist for March 16 Program,
Roberto Abbado Conducts Works by Haydn, Bruch, and Beethoven

Marcelo Lehninger Leads Music by Mozart, Bartók, and Birtwistle,
Collaborating with Violinist Christian Tetzlaff on March 15

Andris Nelsons Conducts Mahler’s Ninth Symphony on March 17

(NEW YORK, NY)–Carnegie Hall today announced that conductors Marcelo Lehninger, Roberto Abbado, and Andris Nelsons will graciously step in for conductor James Levine, leading performances with the Boston Symphony Orchestra on March 15, 16, and 17 in Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage. As previously announced, Mr. Levine must regrettably withdraw from these performances as he is experiencing ill effects from a recent procedure addressing ongoing back issues, further complicated by a viral infection. In addition, violinist Joshua Bell will appear as soloist for the BSO’s March 16 program, performing Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1. Mr. Bell kindly replaces pianist Maurizio Pollini, who unfortunately must cancel his appearance due to the flu.

Program Information for BSO Performances at Carnegie Hall, March 15-17:

BSO Assistant Conductor Marcelo Lehninger will lead the orchestra on Tuesday, March 15 at
8:00 p.m. As previously announced, violinist Christian Tetzlaff will be featured as soloist on all three of the program’s works, including the New York premiere of Harrison Birtwistle’s Violin Concerto. The program also includes Mozart’s Rondo for Violin and Orchestra in C Major, K. 373 and Bartók’s Violin Concerto No. 2.

Conductor Roberto Abbado will conduct a newly-announced program to include Haydn’s Symphony No. 93, Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 on Wednesday, March 16 at 8:00 p.m. Violinist Joshua Bell is soloist for this performance, replacing pianist Maurizio Pollini.

Conductor Andris Nelsons steps in for Maestro Levine on Thursday, March 17 at 8:00 p.m., leading the BSO in Mahler’s Symphony No. 9, the previously announced program.

Full program details are listed below. For ticket information, the public may contact CarnegieCharge at 212-247-7800.

About the Artists

Brazilian-born Marcelo Lehninger is increasingly recognized as one of the most gifted conductors of his generation. Appointed an assistant conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra by James Levine, he is the second Brazilian conductor to hold this position; the first was his professor, Eleazar de Carvalho, who shared the position with Leonard Bernstein. Mr. Lehninger made his Boston Symphony debut in October 2010. In January 2011, he made an acclaimed debut on short notice with the New West Orchestra of California. Mr. Lehninger is also currently an associate conductor of the Minas Gerais Philharmonic Orchestra in Brazil and he recently made his debut with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra. He was invited to be music advisor of the Youth Orchestra of the Americas for the 2007-2008 season. In summer 2008, he toured with the YOA and pianist Nelson Freire in South America. In the US, Mr. Lehninger has led the Conductors Institute Orchestra in New York, the Jacksonville Symphony, Fairfax Symphony, and the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C. An alumnus of the National Conducting Institute, he made a highly praised debut with the National Symphony Orchestra in 2007 at the Kennedy Center. Chosen by Kurt Masur, Mr. Lehninger was awarded the First Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Scholarship. He holds a master’s degree from the Conductors Institute at New York’s Bard College, where he studied conducting under Harold Farberman and composition with Laurence Wallach.

Roberto Abbado‘s crisp, dramatic music-making and instinctive lyricism distinguish him as an esteemed conductor among orchestras and opera companies today. Mr. Abbado’s most intensive relationship in North America is currently with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, where he has served as Artistic Partner for the last eight years. He regularly leads the Atlanta and St. Louis symphony orchestras, and has often appeared with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Houston Symphony and San Francisco Symphony. Abroad, Mr. Abbado has a long-lasting relationship with the Israel Philharmonic, and appears often with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and the top orchestras of his native Italy, including the La Scala Philharmonic and Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI. Well-known in the opera world, he has appeared at Teatro alla Scala, the Paris Opera, and the Metropolitan Opera. This season Mr. Abbado premiered a new production of Mozart’sDon Giovanni by Roland Schwab at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, and in summer 2011 leads a new Graham Vick production of Mosé in Egitto at the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro, Italy. In the U.S., he leads the symphony orchestras of Atlanta and Cincinnati, and continues his collaboration with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. Roberto Abbado studied with renowned conducting teacher Franco Ferrara at Venice’s La Fenice and Rome’s Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. He was honored with the Franco Abbiati Prize by the National Association of Italian Music Critics as Conductor of the Year in 2008.

For more than two decades, violinist Joshua Bell has enchanted audiences worldwide with his breathtaking virtuosity and tone of rare beauty. An Avery Fisher Prize recipient who was named 2010 Instrumentalist of the Year by Musical America, Mr. Bell’s season highlights include performances with the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia, San Francisco, Houston and St. Louis symphony orchestras; concerts with the Concertgebouw Orchestra in The Netherlands and Spain; and a recital tour to Canada, the U.S. and Europe including Wigmore Hall, Lincoln Center, and Symphony Hall in Boston. This season, he collaborates with Steven Isserlis in Europe and Istanbul with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. Joshua Bell came to national attention at age 14 with his orchestral debut with Riccardo Muti and the Philadelphia Orchestra. A Sony Classical artist, his first sonata recording of French repertoire, which also his first duo recording with pianist Jeremy Denk, will be released in 2011. Having made more than 35 recordings, recent releases include the soundtracks to For Colored Girls and Defiance, as well as At Home With Friends, Vivaldi: The Four Seasons, Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto, The Red Violin Concerto, Voice of the Violin, and Romance of the Violin, which Billboardnamed the 2004 Classical CD of the Year, and Mr. Bell the Classical Artist of the Year. Mr. Bell also collaborated with composer John Corigliano on the Oscar-winning soundtrack to The Red Violin. He performs on the 1713 Gibson ex Huberman Stradivarius.

Music Director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra since 2008, Andris Nelsons is one of the most sought-after young conductors on the international scene today, earning a distinguished reputation on both opera and concert podiums. Mr. Nelsons recently appeared for the first time in Japan, on tour with Vienna Philharmonic; he returns to Japan later this season for performances of Wagner’s Lohengrin at Tokyo Opera Nomori. Born in Riga in 1978 into a family of musicians, Mr. Nelsons began his career in music as a trumpeter in the Latvian National Opera Orchestra and has also won many prizes for his singing. He was recipient of the prestigious Latvian Grand Music Award for outstanding achievement in music in 2001 and he studied conducting with Professor Alexander Titov in St. Petersburg. He has studied privately with Mariss Jansons since 2002 and completed his tenure as Principal Conductor of the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie in Herford, Germany, in 2009. From 2003-2007, he was Music Director of the Latvian National Opera. Most recently, Mr. Nelsons conducted the New York Philharmonic at Avery Fisher Hall in February. He returns to The Metropolitan Opera to conduct Tchaikovsky’s Pique Dame this month.

Program Information
Tuesday, March 15 at 8:00 p.m.
Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage
BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Marcelo Lehninger, Conductor
Christian Tetzlaff, Violin

WOLFGANG AMADEUS

MOZART Rondo for Violin and Orchestra in C Major, K. 373
HARRISON BIRTWISTLE Violin Concerto (NY Premiere)
BÉLA BARTÓK Violin Concerto No. 2

Perspectives: Christian Tetzlaff

Sponsored by DeWitt Stern Group, Inc.

Tickets: $48-$150
__________________________________

Wednesday, March 16 at 8:00 p.m.
Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage
BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Roberto Abbado, Conductor
Joshua Bell, Violin

JOSEPH HAYDN Symphony No. 93 in D Major
MAX BRUCH Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 26
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67

Sponsored by Deloitte LLP

Tickets: $45-$140
__________________________________

Thursday, March 17 at 8:00 p.m.
Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage
BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Andris Nelsons, Conductor

GUSTAV MAHLER Symphony No. 9

Pre-concert talk starts at 7:00 PM in Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage with Marilyn McCoy, Adjunct Professor of Music, Columbia University.

The Trustees of Carnegie Hall gratefully acknowledge the generosity of Mr. Robert L. Turner in support of the 2010-2011 season.

Tickets: $45-$140


Three conductors have agreed to stand in for James Levine when the Boston Symphony plays Carnegie Hall the week after next.

They are: the Brazilian Marcelo Lehninger, the Italian Roberto Abbado and the Latvian Andris Nelsons. In addition, violinist Joshua Bell steps in for pianist Maurizio Pollini, who has withdrawn with flu.
Of the three batons. Nelsons is the biggest catch. He’s Europe’s most in-demand substitute and a huge success with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.
The patchwork solution only underlines Boston’s big problem. They have to fire Levine, who has cancelled the rest of his season, but they don’t know how. His manager, Ronald Wilford, assures the NY Times that Big Jim will be back. Does anyone but Wilford and the Times believe that is Boston’s best option?
Press release follows:

Date: March 2, 2011 | Contact: Corinne Zadik | Tel: 212-903-9665 | E-mail: czadik@carnegiehall.org

CONDUCTORS MARCELO LEHNINGER, ROBERTO ABBADO, & ANDRIS NELSONS
REPLACE JAMES LEVINE FOR BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA CONCERTS
AT CARNEGIE HALL THIS MARCH

Violinist Joshua Bell Replaces Pianist Maurizio Pollini as Soloist for March 16 Program,
Roberto Abbado Conducts Works by Haydn, Bruch, and Beethoven

Marcelo Lehninger Leads Music by Mozart, Bartók, and Birtwistle,
Collaborating with Violinist Christian Tetzlaff on March 15

Andris Nelsons Conducts Mahler’s Ninth Symphony on March 17

(NEW YORK, NY)–Carnegie Hall today announced that conductors Marcelo Lehninger, Roberto Abbado, and Andris Nelsons will graciously step in for conductor James Levine, leading performances with the Boston Symphony Orchestra on March 15, 16, and 17 in Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage. As previously announced, Mr. Levine must regrettably withdraw from these performances as he is experiencing ill effects from a recent procedure addressing ongoing back issues, further complicated by a viral infection. In addition, violinist Joshua Bell will appear as soloist for the BSO’s March 16 program, performing Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1. Mr. Bell kindly replaces pianist Maurizio Pollini, who unfortunately must cancel his appearance due to the flu.

Program Information for BSO Performances at Carnegie Hall, March 15-17:

BSO Assistant Conductor Marcelo Lehninger will lead the orchestra on Tuesday, March 15 at
8:00 p.m. As previously announced, violinist Christian Tetzlaff will be featured as soloist on all three of the program’s works, including the New York premiere of Harrison Birtwistle’s Violin Concerto. The program also includes Mozart’s Rondo for Violin and Orchestra in C Major, K. 373 and Bartók’s Violin Concerto No. 2.

Conductor Roberto Abbado will conduct a newly-announced program to include Haydn’s Symphony No. 93, Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 on Wednesday, March 16 at 8:00 p.m. Violinist Joshua Bell is soloist for this performance, replacing pianist Maurizio Pollini.

Conductor Andris Nelsons steps in for Maestro Levine on Thursday, March 17 at 8:00 p.m., leading the BSO in Mahler’s Symphony No. 9, the previously announced program.

Full program details are listed below. For ticket information, the public may contact CarnegieCharge at 212-247-7800.

About the Artists

Brazilian-born Marcelo Lehninger is increasingly recognized as one of the most gifted conductors of his generation. Appointed an assistant conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra by James Levine, he is the second Brazilian conductor to hold this position; the first was his professor, Eleazar de Carvalho, who shared the position with Leonard Bernstein. Mr. Lehninger made his Boston Symphony debut in October 2010. In January 2011, he made an acclaimed debut on short notice with the New West Orchestra of California. Mr. Lehninger is also currently an associate conductor of the Minas Gerais Philharmonic Orchestra in Brazil and he recently made his debut with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra. He was invited to be music advisor of the Youth Orchestra of the Americas for the 2007-2008 season. In summer 2008, he toured with the YOA and pianist Nelson Freire in South America. In the US, Mr. Lehninger has led the Conductors Institute Orchestra in New York, the Jacksonville Symphony, Fairfax Symphony, and the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C. An alumnus of the National Conducting Institute, he made a highly praised debut with the National Symphony Orchestra in 2007 at the Kennedy Center. Chosen by Kurt Masur, Mr. Lehninger was awarded the First Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Scholarship. He holds a master’s degree from the Conductors Institute at New York’s Bard College, where he studied conducting under Harold Farberman and composition with Laurence Wallach.

Roberto Abbado‘s crisp, dramatic music-making and instinctive lyricism distinguish him as an esteemed conductor among orchestras and opera companies today. Mr. Abbado’s most intensive relationship in North America is currently with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, where he has served as Artistic Partner for the last eight years. He regularly leads the Atlanta and St. Louis symphony

orchestras, and has often appeared with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Houston Symphony and San Francisco Symphony. Abroad, Mr. Abbado has a long-lasting relationship with the Israel Philharmonic, and appears often with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and the top orchestras of his native Italy, including the La Scala Philharmonic and Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI. Well-known in the opera world, he has appeared at Teatro alla Scala, the Paris Opera, and the Metropolitan Opera. This season Mr. Abbado premiered a new production of Mozart’sDon Giovanni by Roland Schwab at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, and in summer 2011 leads a new Graham Vick production of Mosé in Egitto at the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro, Italy. In the U.S., he leads the symphony orchestras of Atlanta and Cincinnati, and continues his collaboration with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. Roberto Abbado studied with renowned conducting teacher Franco Ferrara at Venice’s La Fenice and Rome’s Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. He was honored with the Franco Abbiati Prize by the National Association of Italian Music Critics as Conductor of the Year in 2008.

For more than two decades, violinist Joshua Bell has enchanted audiences worldwide with his breathtaking virtuosity and tone of rare beauty. An Avery Fisher Prize recipient who was named 2010 Instrumentalist of the Year by Musical America, Mr. Bell’s season highlights include performances with the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia, San Francisco, Houston and St. Louis symphony orchestras; concerts with the Concertgebouw Orchestra in The Netherlands and Spain; and a recital tour to Canada, the U.S. and Europe including Wigmore Hall, Lincoln Center, and Symphony Hall in Boston. This season, he collaborates with Steven Isserlis in Europe and Istanbul with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. Joshua Bell came to national attention at age 14 with his orchestral debut with Riccardo Muti and the Philadelphia Orchestra. A Sony Classical artist, his first sonata recording of French repertoire, which also his first duo recording with pianist Jeremy Denk, will be released in 2011. Having made more than 35 recordings, recent releases include the soundtracks to For Colored Girls and Defiance, as well as At Home With Friends, Vivaldi: The Four Seasons, Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto, The Red Violin Concerto, Voice of the Violin, and Romance of the Violin, which Billboardnamed the 2004 Classical CD of the Year, and Mr. Bell the Classical Artist of the Year. Mr. Bell also collaborated with composer John Corigliano on the Oscar-winning soundtrack to The Red Violin. He performs on the 1713 Gibson ex Huberman Stradivarius.

Music Director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra since 2008, Andris Nelsons is one of the most sought-after young conductors on the international scene today, earning a distinguished reputation on both opera and concert podiums. Mr. Nelsons recently appeared for the first time in Japan, on tour with Vienna Philharmonic; he returns to Japan later this season for performances of Wagner’s Lohengrin at Tokyo Opera Nomori. Born in Riga in 1978 into a family of musicians, Mr. Nelsons began his career in music as a trumpeter in the Latvian National Opera Orchestra and has also won many prizes for his singing. He was recipient of the prestigious Latvian Grand Music Award for outstanding achievement in music in 2001 and he studied conducting with Professor Alexander Titov in St. Petersburg. He has studied privately with Mariss Jansons since 2002 and completed his tenure as Principal Conductor of the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie in Herford, Germany, in 2009. From 2003-2007, he was Music Director of the Latvian National Opera. Most recently, Mr. Nelsons conducted the New York Philharmonic at Avery Fisher Hall in February. He returns to The Metropolitan Opera to conduct Tchaikovsky’s Pique Dame this month.

Program Information
Tuesday, March 15 at 8:00 p.m.
Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage
BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Marcelo Lehninger, Conductor
Christian Tetzlaff, Violin

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART Rondo for Violin and Orchestra in C Major, K. 373
HARRISON BIRTWISTLE Violin Concerto (NY Premiere)
BÉLA BARTÓK Violin Concerto No. 2

Perspectives: Christian Tetzlaff

Sponsored by DeWitt Stern Group, Inc.

Tickets: $48-$150
__________________________________

Wednesday, March 16 at 8:00 p.m.
Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage
BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Roberto Abbado, Conductor
Joshua Bell, Violin

JOSEPH HAYDN Symphony No. 93 in D Major
MAX BRUCH Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 26
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67

Sponsored by Deloitte LLP

Tickets: $45-$140
__________________________________

Thursday, March 17 at 8:00 p.m.
Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage
BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Andris Nelsons, Conductor

GUSTAV MAHLER Symphony No. 9

Pre-concert talk starts at 7:00 PM in Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage with Marilyn McCoy, Adjunct Professor of Music, Columbia University.

The Trustees of Carnegie Hall gratefully acknowledge the generosity of Mr. Robert L. Turner in support of the 2010-2011 season.

Tickets: $45-$140

Date: March 2, 2011 | Contact: Corinne Zadik | Tel: 212-903-9665 | E-mail: czadik@carnegiehall.org

CONDUCTORS MARCELO LEHNINGER, ROBERTO ABBADO, & ANDRIS NELSONS
REPLACE JAMES LEVINE FOR BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA CONCERTS
AT CARNEGIE HALL THIS MARCH

Violinist Joshua Bell Replaces Pianist Maurizio Pollini as Soloist for March 16 Program,
Roberto Abbado Conducts Works by Haydn, Bruch, and Beethoven

Marcelo Lehninger Leads Music by Mozart, Bartók, and Birtwistle,
Collaborating with Violinist Christian Tetzlaff on March 15

Andris Nelsons Conducts Mahler’s Ninth Symphony on March 17

(NEW YORK, NY)–Carnegie Hall today announced that conductors Marcelo Lehninger, Roberto Abbado, and Andris Nelsons will graciously step in for conductor James Levine, leading performances with the Boston Symphony Orchestra on March 15, 16, and 17 in Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage. As previously announced, Mr. Levine must regrettably withdraw from these performances as he is experiencing ill effects from a recent procedure addressing ongoing back issues, further complicated by a viral infection. In addition, violinist Joshua Bell will appear as soloist for the BSO’s March 16 program, performing Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1. Mr. Bell kindly replaces pianist Maurizio Pollini, who unfortunately must cancel his appearance due to the flu.

Program Information for BSO Performances at Carnegie Hall, March 15-17:

BSO Assistant Conductor Marcelo Lehninger will lead the orchestra on Tuesday, March 15 at
8:00 p.m. As previously announced, violinist Christian Tetzlaff will be featured as soloist on all three of the program’s works, including the New York premiere of Harrison Birtwistle’s Violin Concerto. The program also includes Mozart’s Rondo for Violin and Orchestra in C Major, K. 373 and Bartók’s Violin Concerto No. 2.

Conductor Roberto Abbado will conduct a newly-announced program to include Haydn’s Symphony No. 93, Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 on Wednesday, March 16 at 8:00 p.m. Violinist Joshua Bell is soloist for this performance, replacing pianist Maurizio Pollini.

Conductor Andris Nelsons steps in for Maestro Levine on Thursday, March 17 at 8:00 p.m., leading the BSO in Mahler’s Symphony No. 9, the previously announced program.

Full program details are listed below. For ticket information, the public may contact CarnegieCharge at 212-247-7800.

About the Artists

Brazilian-born Marcelo Lehninger is increasingly recognized as one of the most gifted conductors of his generation. Appointed an assistant conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra by James Levine, he is the second Brazilian conductor to hold this position; the first was his professor, Eleazar de Carvalho, who shared the position with Leonard Bernstein. Mr. Lehninger made his Boston Symphony debut in October 2010. In January 2011, he made an acclaimed debut on short notice with the New West Orchestra of California. Mr. Lehninger is also currently an associate conductor of the Minas Gerais Philharmonic Orchestra in Brazil and he recently made his debut with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra. He was invited to be music advisor of the Youth Orchestra of the Americas for the 2007-2008 season. In summer 2008, he toured with the YOA and pianist Nelson Freire in South America. In the US, Mr. Lehninger has led the Conductors Institute Orchestra in New York, the Jacksonville Symphony, Fairfax Symphony, and the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C. An alumnus of the National Conducting Institute, he made a highly praised debut with the National Symphony Orchestra in 2007 at the Kennedy Center. Chosen by Kurt Masur, Mr. Lehninger was awarded the First Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Scholarship. He holds a master’s degree from the Conductors Institute at New York’s Bard College, where he studied conducting under Harold Farberman and composition with Laurence Wallach.

Roberto Abbado‘s crisp, dramatic music-making and instinctive lyricism distinguish him as an esteemed conductor among orchestras and opera companies today. Mr. Abbado’s most intensive relationship in North America is currently with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, where he has served as Artistic Partner for the last eight years. He regularly leads the Atlanta and St. Louis symphony orchestras, and has often appeared with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Houston Symphony and San Francisco Symphony. Abroad, Mr. Abbado has a long-lasting relationship with the Israel Philharmonic, and appears often with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and the top orchestras of his native Italy, including the La Scala Philharmonic and Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI. Well-known in the opera world, he has appeared at Teatro alla Scala, the Paris Opera, and the Metropolitan Opera. This season Mr. Abbado premiered a new production of Mozart’sDon Giovanni by Roland Schwab at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, and in summer 2011 leads a new Graham Vick production of Mosé in Egitto at the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro, Italy. In the U.S., he leads the symphony orchestras of Atlanta and Cincinnati, and continues his collaboration with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. Roberto Abbado studied with renowned conducting teacher Franco Ferrara at Venice’s La Fenice and Rome’s Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. He was honored with the Franco Abbiati Prize by the National Association of Italian Music Critics as Conductor of the Year in 2008.

For more than two decades, violinist Joshua Bell has enchanted audiences worldwide with his breathtaking virtuosity and tone of rare beauty. An Avery Fisher Prize recipient who was named 2010 Instrumentalist of the Year by Musical America, Mr. Bell’s season highlights include performances with the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia, San Francisco, Houston and St. Louis symphony orchestras; concerts with the Concertgebouw Orchestra in The Netherlands and Spain; and a recital tour to Canada, the U.S. and Europe including Wigmore Hall, Lincoln Center, and Symphony Hall in Boston. This season, he collaborates with Steven Isserlis in Europe and Istanbul with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. Joshua Bell came to national attention at age 14 with his orchestral debut with Riccardo Muti and the Philadelphia Orchestra. A Sony Classical artist, his first sonata recording of French repertoire, which also his first duo recording with pianist Jeremy Denk, will be released in 2011. Having made more than 35 recordings, recent releases include the soundtracks to For Colored Girls and Defiance, as well as At Home With Friends, Vivaldi: The Four Seasons, Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto, The Red Violin Concerto, Voice of the Violin, and Romance of the Violin, which Billboardnamed the 2004 Classical CD of the Year, and Mr. Bell the Classical Artist of the Year. Mr. Bell also collaborated with composer John Corigliano on the Oscar-winning soundtrack to The Red Violin. He performs on the 1713 Gibson ex Huberman Stradivarius.

Music Director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra since 2008, Andris Nelsons is one of the most sought-after young conductors on the international scene today, earning a distinguished reputation on both opera and concert podiums. Mr. Nelsons recently appeared for the first time in Japan, on tour with Vienna Philharmonic; he returns to Japan later this season for performances of Wagner’s Lohengrin at Tokyo Opera Nomori. Born in Riga in 1978 into a family of musicians, Mr. Nelsons began his career in music as a trumpeter in the Latvian National Opera Orchestra and has also won many prizes for his singing. He was recipient of the prestigious Latvian Grand Music Award for outstanding achievement in music in 2001 and he studied conducting with Professor Alexander Titov in St. Petersburg. He has studied privately with Mariss Jansons since 2002 and completed his tenure as Principal Conductor of the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie in Herford, Germany, in 2009. From 2003-2007, he was Music Director of the Latvian National Opera. Most recently, Mr. Nelsons conducted the New York Philharmonic at Avery Fisher Hall in February. He returns to The Metropolitan Opera to conduct Tchaikovsky’s Pique Dame this month.

Program Information
Tuesday, March 15 at 8:00 p.m.
Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage
BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Marcelo Lehninger, Conductor
Christian Tetzlaff, Violin

WOLFGANG AMADEUS

MOZART Rondo for Violin and Orchestra in C Major, K. 373
HARRISON BIRTWISTLE Violin Concerto (NY Premiere)
BÉLA BARTÓK Violin Concerto No. 2

Perspectives: Christian Tetzlaff

Sponsored by DeWitt Stern Group, Inc.

Tickets: $48-$150
__________________________________

Wednesday, March 16 at 8:00 p.m.
Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage
BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Roberto Abbado, Conductor
Joshua Bell, Violin

JOSEPH HAYDN Symphony No. 93 in D Major
MAX BRUCH Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 26
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67

Sponsored by Deloitte LLP

Tickets: $45-$140
__________________________________

Thursday, March 17 at 8:00 p.m.
Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage
BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Andris Nelsons, Conductor

GUSTAV MAHLER Symphony No. 9

Pre-concert talk starts at 7:00 PM in Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage with Marilyn McCoy, Adjunct Professor of Music, Columbia University.

The Trustees of Carnegie Hall gratefully acknowledge the generosity of Mr. Robert L. Turner in support of the 2010-2011 season.

Tickets: $45-$140


Roxanna Panufnik has been named associate composer of the London Mozart Players and Michael Seal is the new associate conductor of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Both are local appointments, both promising.

Rox, daughter my late friend Andrzej Panufnik, is working on a choral score derived from my novel, The Song of Names. Kater this month, the American choir Chanticleer will premiere Let Me In, with words by Jessica Duchen. Her music is hard-worked, always agreeable.

Seal has impressed the CBSO in several concerts. Judging by his Twitter moniker – batonflipper – he has kept the fun side alive.

                                                                   Photo: Catholic Herald
Press releases follow.

Roxanna
Panufnik
prepares for three world premieres as she is appointed
The
London Mozart Players‘ first Associate Composer

Roxanna
Panufnik is one of the country’s best known and loved composers, and is widely
celebrated for both her choral writing and for her distinctive catalogue of
orchestral pieces.

On 26 March, the American choir Chanticleer will give
the world premiere of ‘Let Me In‘, a work about Jesus’s childhood with
words by Jessica Duchen. Matthew Oltman conducts at the Cathedral of Christ in
the Light, Oakland, California with further performances in the San Francisco
area on 27 and 31 March, and 1 April.

The National Youth Choirs of Great
Britain will perform their commission ‘We are the Music-Makers‘ on 17
April, conducted by Mike Brewer at Symphony Hall, Birmingham. For this work,
Roxanna will be working once again with Duchen, who has updated Alfred
Shaughnessy’s well-known text.

Roxanna will travel to Tallinn on 30 June
for the premiere of her ‘Tallinn Mass: Dance of Life‘, cantata for
soprano (Patricia Rozario), narrator and multiple choirs (Estonian TV &
Radio Girls Choir, Tallinn University Choir, Tallinn Secondary Music School
Choir) and orchestra (Tallinn Philharmonic Orchestra), conducted by Eri Klas.
This mass was commissioned by the Tallinn Philharmonic Orchestra to celebrate
the city’s tenure as European Capital of Culture. An hour long, it uses the
Latin Mass (composed with the church bells of Tallinn and Estonian folksong)
framing and exploring its meaning with 19 poems.

Roxanna also has three
local premieres in March and April: the Scottish premiere of ‘Schola Missa de
Angelis‘ in a new version with string orchestra (London Oratory School
Schola, conducted by Lee Ward); the Polish premiere of ‘All Shall be
Well‘ and the London premiere of ‘The Audience.’

2012 will
mark the beginning of Roxanna’s three-year tenure as The London Mozart Players’
inaugural Associate Composer where works from her catalogue will be performed
throughout their season as well as at least one new commission each year. New
pieces to be performed include the fourth of her new Four Seasons for violinist
Tasmin Little (with the London premiere of all four Seasons in 2012) and a large
scale choral-orchestral work.

LMP Managing Director Simon Funnell says:
“The LMP has a tradition of commissioning and performing new music. Roxanna
has written a wide range of pieces including opera, ballet, music theatre,
choral and chamber works which are regularly performed all over the world. Her
music is popular yet profound, theatrical and emotional, and we are very excited
about working with her.”

Roxanna Panufnik says: “This is a
fantastic opportunity for me to work more in the instrumental and orchestral
field with one of the UK’s finest orchestras. I look forward hugely to
collaborating with conductor Gérard Korsten and LMP on a far-reaching range of
projects – especially at such an exciting time of rebirth for the
orchestra.”

CBSO appoints Michael Seal
as Associate Conductor

Michael Seal has
been appointed Associate Conductor of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
in recognition of his successful relationship with the CBSO as Assistant
Conductor since 2005, including numerous highly acclaimed projects.

These include a
performance of Lutoslawski’s ‘Chain I’ at the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, world
premieres of music by Richard Causton and Jonathan Girling, and appearing with
the CBSO at the Aldeburgh and Malvern Festivals, as well as at venues in London,
Manchester and the Midlands. 

Chief Executive of the CBSO, Stephen
Maddock said, “We are really pleased to be recognising Mike’s dedication and
commitment to the CBSO in this way. This new position is a deserved reflection
of how well Mike is respected by his peers and by members of the Orchestra. As
well as his involvement with the CBSO, Mike is also dedicated to developing new
talent through the CBSO Youth Orchestra and Birmingham Conservatoire, work which
is at the heart of the CBSO family.”

Internationally
acclaimed Music Director of the CBSO, Andris Nelsons said, “Mike is establishing
a reputation as one of the UK’s most versatile, wonderful conductors and I am
delighted that he has been appointed Associate Conductor. I have worked closely
with him over the last three years and believe he has a valuable role to play in
maintaining the artistic excellence of the CBSO for many years to
come.”

On his appointment, Mike
said, “I am
honoured and delighted to be appointed Associate Conductor of the CBSO. It makes
me proud to think that the Orchestra has continued faith in our relationship; a
relationship that I feel has grown from strength to strength over the last few
years.

“I would also like to
take this opportunity to thank the members of the Orchestra who have supported
me so strongly and are a constant source of inspiration to us all. To be
recognised in this way, at a time when the CBSO under Andris Nelsons is flying
high, makes this appointment even more exciting for me.”

Michael’s forthcoming concerts with
the CBSO include ‘Telling Tales’ on 24
March, featuring music by Strauss, Liszt, Dvo?ák and Janá?ek, and two concerts
in the recently announced CBSO Film Music Festival in July. This
includes Sir
Anthony Hopkins – In Concert on Saturday 23
July 2011 in Symphony Hall, in which one of the world’s greatest living screen
actors joins the CBSO on stage for a very special performance of his own
music.

BBC Radio 3 broadcast
his first subscription concert with the CBSO in March 2007, with a programme
including Hugh Wood’s Piano Concerto, with Joanna MacGregor as soloist, and
Walton’s Symphony No.1. Michael has also collaborated with Saregama and the CBSO
in projects featuring Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Sonu Niigaam, culminating in the
release of the ground-breaking CD, Rafi Resurrected.

Forging a special
relationship with the CBSO Youth Orchestra, he has conducted them on numerous
occasions and is also Artistic Advisor and Conductor for the CBSO Youth
Orchestra Academy, a chamber orchestra formed in 2007.

-Ends-

Roxanna Panufnik has been named associate composer of the London Mozart Players and Michael Seal is the new associate conductor of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Both are local appointments, both promising.

Rox, daughter my late friend Andrzej Panufnik, is working on a choral score derived from my novel, The Song of Names. Kater this month, the American choir Chanticleer will premiere Let Me In, with words by Jessica Duchen. Her music is hard-worked, always agreeable.

Seal has impressed the CBSO in several concerts. Judging by his Twitter moniker – batonflipper – he has kept the fun side alive.

                                                                   Photo: Catholic Herald
Press releases follow.

Roxanna
Panufnik
prepares for three world premieres as she is appointed
The
London Mozart Players‘ first Associate Composer

Roxanna
Panufnik is one of the country’s best known and loved composers, and is widely
celebrated for both her choral writing and for her distinctive catalogue of
orchestral pieces.

On 26 March, the American choir Chanticleer will give
the world premiere of ‘Let Me In‘, a work about Jesus’s childhood with
words by Jessica Duchen. Matthew Oltman conducts at the Cathedral of Christ in
the Light, Oakland, California with further performances in the San Francisco
area on 27 and 31 March, and 1 April.

The National Youth Choirs of Great
Britain will perform their commission ‘We are the Music-Makers‘ on 17
April, conducted by Mike Brewer at Symphony Hall, Birmingham. For this work,
Roxanna will be working once again with Duchen, who has updated Alfred
Shaughnessy’s well-known text.

Roxanna will travel to Tallinn on 30 June
for the premiere of her ‘Tallinn Mass: Dance of Life‘, cantata for
soprano (Patricia Rozario), narrator and multiple choirs (Estonian TV &
Radio Girls Choir, Tallinn University Choir, Tallinn Secondary Music School
Choir) and orchestra (Tallinn Philharmonic Orchestra), conducted by Eri Klas.
This mass was commissioned by the Tallinn Philharmonic Orchestra to celebrate
the city’s tenure as European Capital of Culture. An hour long, it uses the
Latin Mass (composed with the church bells of Tallinn and Estonian folksong)
framing and exploring its meaning with 19 poems.

Roxanna also has three
local premieres in March and April: the Scottish premiere of ‘Schola Missa de
Angelis‘ in a new version with string orchestra (London Oratory School
Schola, conducted by Lee Ward); the Polish premiere of ‘All Shall be
Well‘ and the London premiere of ‘The Audience.’

2012 will
mark the beginning of Roxanna’s three-year tenure as The London Mozart Players’
inaugural Associate Composer where works from her catalogue will be performed
throughout their season as well as at least one new commission each year. New
pieces to be performed include the fourth of her new Four Seasons for violinist
Tasmin Little (with the London premiere of all four Seasons in 2012) and a large
scale choral-orchestral work.

LMP Managing Director Simon Funnell says:
“The LMP has a tradition of commissioning and performing new music. Roxanna
has written a wide range of pieces including opera, ballet, music theatre,
choral and chamber works which are regularly performed all over the world. Her
music is popular yet profound, theatrical and emotional, and we are very excited
about working with her.”

Roxanna Panufnik says: “This is a
fantastic opportunity for me to work more in the instrumental and orchestral
field with one of the UK’s finest orchestras. I look forward hugely to
collaborating with conductor Gérard Korsten and LMP on a far-reaching range of
projects – especially at such an exciting time of rebirth for the
orchestra.”

CBSO appoints Michael Seal
as Associate Conductor

Michael Seal has
been appointed Associate Conductor of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
in recognition of his successful relationship with the CBSO as Assistant
Conductor since 2005, including numerous highly acclaimed projects.

These include a
performance of Lutoslawski’s ‘Chain I’ at the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, world
premieres of music by Richard Causton and Jonathan Girling, and appearing with
the CBSO at the Aldeburgh and Malvern Festivals, as well as at venues in London,
Manchester and the Midlands. 

Chief Executive of the CBSO, Stephen
Maddock said, “We are really pleased to be recognising Mike’s dedication and
commitment to the CBSO in this way. This new position is a deserved reflection
of how well Mike is respected by his peers and by members of the Orchestra. As
well as his involvement with the CBSO, Mike is also dedicated to developing new
talent through the CBSO Youth Orchestra and Birmingham Conservatoire, work which
is at the heart of the CBSO family.”

Internationally
acclaimed Music Director of the CBSO, Andris Nelsons said, “Mike is establishing
a reputation as one of the UK’s most versatile, wonderful conductors and I am
delighted that he has been appointed Associate Conductor. I have worked closely
with him over the last three years and believe he has a valuable role to play in
maintaining the artistic excellence of the CBSO for many years to
come.”

On his appointment, Mike
said, “I am
honoured and delighted to be appointed Associate Conductor of the CBSO. It makes
me proud to think that the Orchestra has continued faith in our relationship; a
relationship that I feel has grown from strength to strength over the last few
years.

“I would also like to
take this opportunity to thank the members of the Orchestra who have supported
me so strongly and are a constant source of inspiration to us all. To be
recognised in this way, at a time when the CBSO under Andris Nelsons is flying
high, makes this appointment even more exciting for me.”

Michael’s forthcoming concerts with
the CBSO include ‘Telling Tales’ on 24
March, featuring music by Strauss, Liszt, Dvo?ák and Janá?ek, and two concerts
in the recently announced CBSO Film Music Festival in July. This
includes Sir
Anthony Hopkins – In Concert on Saturday 23
July 2011 in Symphony Hall, in which one of the world’s greatest living screen
actors joins the CBSO on stage for a very special performance of his own
music.

BBC Radio 3 broadcast
his first subscription concert with the CBSO in March 2007, with a programme
including Hugh Wood’s Piano Concerto, with Joanna MacGregor as soloist, and
Walton’s Symphony No.1. Michael has also collaborated with Saregama and the CBSO
in projects featuring Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Sonu Niigaam, culminating in the
release of the ground-breaking CD, Rafi Resurrected.

Forging a special
relationship with the CBSO Youth Orchestra, he has conducted them on numerous
occasions and is also Artistic Advisor and Conductor for the CBSO Youth
Orchestra Academy, a chamber orchestra formed in 2007.

-Ends-

He’s going into rehab, says New York Times.

His show will go ahead on Friday with an apology.

His London lawyers are issuing defamation proceedings against his foul accusers, says Reuters.
Yuk, yuk, yuk.

He’s going into rehab, says New York Times.

His show will go ahead on Friday with an apology.

His London lawyers are issuing defamation proceedings against his foul accusers, says Reuters.
Yuk, yuk, yuk.

I went on BBC Breakfast this morning to discuss Christian Dior’s sacking of the designer John Galliano for alleged anti-semitic abuse, some of which was captured on video.

In my view, there are parallel issues at play. The fashion world cultivates transgression and excess. Galliano’s conduct was a product of that culture. In normal circumstances it would have been a three-day wonder, eclipsed by the display of his collection this Friday. However, condemnation by the Oscar-winning Natalie Portman, a Dior face, led to his summary dismissal.
This is no more than celebrity business as usual, a blip on the public attention.

My concern is that Galliano’s alleged comment reflect a wider phenomenon. It suggests something I have observed elsewhere, namely the increasing acceptability of anti-semitic abuse so long it is couched within an Israel-Palestine context. Jews are open to attack as presumed extensions of Israeli occupation policy in a way that, for example, overseas Chinese are not held responsible for Beijing’s occupation of Tibet.
That is anti-semitism, 2011 style.
Linda Grant’s reasoned and well-informed Guardian article on Galliano was pursued by a shoal of reader comment many of which were imbued with this acceptable form of racism. The Guardian, with its obsessive focus on Palestine (to the exclusion of, for instance, Tibet) has  helped foster this phenomenon. 
For the first time in my life, I am forced to recognise that anti-semitism is a living, breeding organism within supposedly multi-cultural Britain

I went on BBC Breakfast this morning to discuss Christian Dior’s sacking of the designer John Galliano for alleged anti-semitic abuse, some of which was captured on video.

In my view, there are parallel issues at play. The fashion world cultivates transgression and excess. Galliano’s conduct was a product of that culture. In normal circumstances it would have been a three-day wonder, eclipsed by the display of his collection this Friday. However, condemnation by the Oscar-winning Natalie Portman, a Dior face, led to his summary dismissal.
This is no more than celebrity business as usual, a blip on the public attention.

My concern is that Galliano’s alleged comment reflect a wider phenomenon. It suggests something I have observed elsewhere, namely the increasing acceptability of anti-semitic abuse so long it is couched within an Israel-Palestine context. Jews are open to attack as presumed extensions of Israeli occupation policy in a way that, for example, overseas Chinese are not held responsible for Beijing’s occupation of Tibet.
That is anti-semitism, 2011 style.
Linda Grant’s reasoned and well-informed Guardian article on Galliano was pursued by a shoal of reader comment many of which were imbued with this acceptable form of racism. The Guardian, with its obsessive focus on Palestine (to the exclusion of, for instance, Tibet) has  helped foster this phenomenon. 
For the first time in my life, I am forced to recognise that anti-semitism is a living, breeding organism within supposedly multi-cultural Britain